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(Scott) I appreciate the help on my earlier question, and the great info about TBHs.
Th info brought back my earliers memories about bees. As a kid, I found a swarm in an apple tree and told my dad...he ran to the shop and quickly nailed a square box together, and placed little sticks across the top, then covered it.
I remember asking him what the little sticks were for, and he said the bees knew what to do with them,that's where they would make the honey.
I also remember being shocked at the thought that bees were intelligent enough to know that!
Dad then took the box up to the swarm and began to tap on the back of the box. Again, I asked him why? He simply told me that he was telling the bees that the box "was their new home"...the bees proceeded to march in and soon we had our first family hive.
No doubt, his first experience was similar, probably with his father, or uncle maybe...
My son shared in the catching of my swarm several weeks ago, he was deathly afraid of bees in general...until then...several times during the catching process, I found him standing by me, fear overcome by his curiosity. As I began to tap in the back of the box, he asked me why I was doing that...
"I'm telling the bees that this is their new home..."

Roy,
Man, that's neat! My dream was to be a commercial beekeeper and live with my family in the country. That was my dream and I did part of it for awhile. Unfortunately, I'm the only one in my family that had any interest in the bees. My boys only worked them for money and then fled them at the first 'real' job opportunity. Beekeepers are born and your son might be one of them.